Inventory

I started to worry after I put that last post up. I had committed to this whole "May-day Grocery Emergency Challenge" but I wasn't sure I had much in my pantry. What if I completely failed at this experiment - wouldn't that be so embarrassing? But Saturday afternoon I went through and took a simply inventory of what I had and was pleasantly surprised. I'm not going to write everything down, but here are some of the major things we have in stock:

Freeze/Fridge -

• ~ 2-3 lbs chicken, variety types
• ~ 2 lbs ground beef (I buy in bulk from the university then freeze in 3/4lb portions, although I "pretend" each 3/4lb portion is a lb. For almost all recipes, it still works)
• A few slices of applegate (nitrate free) bacon. Mostly used to flavor beans so it is 3 or 4 "servings" worth
• 1 lb cheese
  
• 1 lb butter (I just bought a ton of butter, where did it go?)
• Bag of nuts
• 4-5 bags frozen fruit
• 2-3 bags frozen veggies
• 1 can o.j. concentrate
• Homemade turkey broth
  
• 9x9 Lasagna (I make 9x13 casseroles as two 9x9 and freeze one)
  
• 9x9 Chicken Spaghetti
• Milk
  
• Random leftover veggies from last week (carrots, spinach, lettuce, 1/2 green pepper, etc)
• Eggs
  
• Yogurt
• Random condiments
  

Pantry

• Flour (Wheat, White, Rye)
• Cornmeal
• Wheat Germ
• Wheat Berries (Mostly we grow for a cat snack, but I have seen a couple recipes that actually use them and want to give it a try)
• Rolled Oats (I bought 3 large containers for ~$1/ea around Christmas time and have only just started on the second)
• Dried Beans - Black, Navy
• Quinoa
  
• Sweeteners - White Sugar, Rapadura, Honey, Maple Sugar and some Stevia samples I had completely forgotten about
• Oil - Olive, Coconut
• Vinegars - Variety
• Herbs/Spices - Variety (Although I know I am out of Basil, can I make it through the month w/o buying more?)
• Carnation instant breakfast - Craig got this free from CVS and will eat it, I refuse.
• 1 onion
• Bag potatoes (beginning to sprout, must be used NOW)
• 1.5 boxes granola bars (that is not enough for the month, uh-oh)
• Loaf of Bread
• Pasta - Spaghetti, Fettucine, Lasagna noodles, Egg Noodles, Rotini
• Cocoa powder
• Tapioca
• Semisweet chocolate
• Shortening
• Baby food carrots

That is about it. And since most if not all of you skipped reading that list (and I don't blame you), the jist was - I have a lot of food. Already this month was a success if I can force myself to remember that just because I think we have no food, doesn't mean we don't actually have anything.

I am so blessed that even when my cupboard is "bare" I have lots to eat. It may be kinda random but it is edible, it provides nourishment, it sustains life! Not everyone has access to that and I don't ever want to be ungrateful for what I have.

I never meant for this challenge to be a spiritual thing, but between reading these posts about the newest Compassion trip to India, and seeing how much I have when I didn't think I had anything, I can't but help ask God to change me heart towards my resources:

Give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

Proverbs 30:8